


For You A Thousand Times Over

by teasockschocolate



Category: The Greatest Showman (2017)
Genre: F/M, idk what to tag, it's just some fluff, lots of fluff, mild whump, post fire
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-16
Updated: 2018-03-16
Packaged: 2019-04-01 03:52:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,001
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13989888
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/teasockschocolate/pseuds/teasockschocolate
Summary: Based on a Tumblr prompt: "Phillip is supposed to be home healing and resting after the fire but he goes to the circus anyway and spends the day hiding from Anne and working. But then Lettie tells Anne bc Phillip can't even cross the tent without breaking into a coughing fit. And Anne doesn't know whether to be more angry or worried"





	For You A Thousand Times Over

“Phillip,”

A soft voice jolted Phillip out of his sleep. Anne leaned over him, her curls tickling his face. “I’m leaving now.”

“Do you have to?” He groaned sleepily, pulling her down to him to kiss her.

She laughed and gently twisted herself away. “I do, I’m sorry. W.D. and I have to practice. You feeling okay?”

“If I say no, will you stay?”

“I’ll see you later.” She rolled her eyes playfully and slipped out of the room.

He rolled his shoulders back wincing. It had been a week and a half since he had waken up and two weeks since the fire. He’d been under doctors orders to stay in bed until he was no longer coughing and his burns had faded. At least another two weeks, the doctor had said. He had hated staying in bed for so long. He felt useless. Anne had stayed with him most of the time which was the only thing keeping him sane. His fingers reached out on the sheet, touching the spot next to him that was still warm from her and a smile stretched across his face. Was it pathetic to say that he already missed her?

A few hours went by and Phillip was bored out of his mind. His coughing hadn’t been that bad today, he decided. He could get out of his apartment and get some work done. He’d go to his office, be sure not to let Anne see him and leave for home when the show started. Resolved, he sat up and grabbed his boots from underneath the bed, wincing at the dull pain in his chest as he did so.

It took him much longer than it would have normally, but he made it down to the docks to the big top tent where the circus was. He’d almost made it into his office without being caught until he heard Lettie’s voice.

“Hey, Carlyle,”

He spun around, caught in the act.

“What do you think you’re doing here? Aren’t you supposed to be resting?”

“Please don’t tell Anne.” He all but begged. “I’m fine. Really.” His lungs betrayed him and forced him to cough in that second. “I’m just going to do some work and then go home. Please don’t tell anyone I’m here.”

She shrugged. “Whatever, Carlyle. I think it’s stupid but it’s your life.”

“Thank you.”

He walked into his office, shutting the door tightly behind him and falling into his chair wheezing. Gritting his teeth, he held back another cough and turned to the paperwork on his desk. Besides a few coughing fits, his day of rebellion went by smoothly. He could hear the troop practicing as he worked which made him smile. He filed some paperwork, checked the attendance logs for the shows he had missed the past week, and budgeted the rent for the next few weeks. He was just about done when he realized that a form was missing from the pile. He looked around his office and cursed mentally when he realized that it was in Barnum’s office on the other side of the tent.

He waited until he didn’t hear anyone out in the ring before creeping out of his office and making his was across. He was about halfway there when another coughing fit wracked his body nearly sending him to the ground. His vision blurred and his head and knees felt light as he tried to regain his breath. He wheezed and clutched his chest struggling to breathe. When it finally stopped, he looked up and saw Lettie a few feet away staring at him.

“I’m fine.” He walked past her as quickly as he could and found what he needed in Barnum’s empty office (Barnum usually didn’t come in until an hour or two before the show). He walked back out, proud of himself for making it and stepped into the ring.

In the center of the ring Anne waited for him with an eyebrow cocked.

“Hey,” He said tentatively.

She sighed. “Phillip…”

“I feel much better. I just wanted to get some work done.” He protested. He felt like a child again, caught misbehaving by his mother.

“Lettie said you couldn’t get across the tent without coughing.”

“Well, Lettie also said she wouldn’t tell so…” He threw a mock glare into the direction of the dressing rooms where Lettie had gone.

Anne allowed herself a laugh and walked up to him. She placed her hand on his cheek and he leaned into her touch. “I know it’s been hard for you to stay still for so long, but you have to. You need to get better.” She pressed her forehead against his. “I need you to get better. I can’t lose you.”

He kissed her forehead. “You won’t.”

“I hate seeing you like this.” She whispered, lowering her head. “It’s my fault.”

“Hey,” He raised her chin with his index finger gently. “Look at me. It’s not your fault, Anne.”

“Phillip, you ran into a fire because of me. You can’t walk twenty feet without coughing because of me. You’re all burned. The doctor said it’ll scar.” A tear quickly slipped down her cheek and Phillip felt his heart wrench. Anne didn’t cry.

“I don’t care. I’d do it again if I had to. That is if this time you were really in there.” He twisted one of her loose curls in his fingers.

She looked up at him, a shy smile playing on her lips. “Really?”

“For you?” He kissed her nose which made her giggle softly. “A thousand times over.”

She hugged him, careful not to hurt him. “Oh, I like you.”

“I guess you’re starting to grow on me.” He nudged her playfully.

She grinned and slipped her arm around him to help him walk. “Let’s get you home and into something comfortable.”

“Well if I am undressing, it’s only fair that you do too.” He winked at her cheekily.

She smirked. “Easy Carlyle, let’s get you better.”


End file.
